Tire brand
Nankang
Nankang is Taiwan's oldest tire manufacturer, founded in Taipei in 1959 out of the former Nankang rubber plant.
IntermédiaireHiverPerformance
Brand profile
Nankang is Taiwan's oldest tire manufacturer, founded in Taipei in 1959 out of the former Nankang rubber plant. The company designs and manufactures a broad range of tires for passenger cars, SUVs and light trucks, as well as competition and off-road tires. Known for its value for the money, the brand exports to more than 80 countries, including Canada, where it is distributed by several retailers.
Positioning: Positioning: Touring, SUV, off-road and competition tires offering strong value for the money.
History
Nankang's history goes back to 1945, the year the Nankang Rubber Plant was founded in Taipei, Taiwan. In its early days, the company mainly produced rickshaw tires, rubber footwear and various industrial goods. In 1959, the company was privatized and reorganized under the name Nankang Rubber Tire Co., Ltd., becoming the island's first tire manufacturer. This pioneering status makes it, today, the oldest tire maker established in Taiwan. To support the growth of its operations, Nankang opened a second plant in Shin-Fung, in Hsinchu County, in 1973. The company continued its international expansion and, in 1997, brought an additional facility online, Nankang International Co., in the Zhangjiagang free-trade zone, in Jiangsu province, in mainland China, with a substantial production capacity. Over the decades, Nankang considerably broadened its catalog: from simply producing rubber goods, it moved to a complete offering covering touring, SUV and light-truck tires, ultra-high-performance tires, 4x4 off-road models and street-legal competition tires. The brand celebrated its 50th anniversary as a tire company, a testament to its longevity in a highly competitive industry. Today, Nankang products are exported to and well received in the United States, Europe, Japan, the Middle East and more than 80 countries around the world. In North America, Nankang has an established commercial presence, with a U.S. division (Nankang USA) and distribution in Canada handled by several retailers and wholesalers, including Quebec-based and pan-Canadian online players. The brand has notably made a name for itself among motorsport enthusiasts thanks to its affordable track tires, which have democratized access to dedicated competition rubber.
Technologies
Nankang relies on silica-based compounds to improve wet grip and reduce rolling resistance, an approach found across several of its road-going lines. On its all-season models, the brand combines summer-tire-style shoulders, which ensure cornering stability on dry ground, with sipes and tread blocks inspired by winter tires for cold-weather performance; some of these models carry the 3PMSF (three-peak mountain snowflake) symbol. For its competition and ultra-high-performance tires, Nankang develops semi-slick compounds that come up to temperature quickly, high-tension casings and asymmetric tread patterns that optimize the contact patch. On its 4x4 off-road tires, the company uses interlocking shoulder blocks and zigzag grooves to bite into and clear mud and gravel.
Innovations
Nankang's main contribution to the tire landscape is the democratization of street-legal competition rubber. With its AR-1 model, the brand gave track enthusiasts a 100-treadwear semi-slick tire at a price well below that of the established benchmarks, allowing many club racers to access a dedicated track compound without breaking the bank. This positioning has made Nankang a widely recognized name in amateur motorsport, particularly for track days, autocross and drifting. The brand has also offered distinct compounds for the same tread pattern—a more durable "street" version and a stickier "track" version—to tailor the tire to real-world use. On the sustainability side, Nankang offers high-aromatic-oil-free compounds (HA Oil Free) on certain touring tires to reduce environmental impact, while also working on optimizing rolling resistance.
Manufacturing
Nankang's head office and roots are in Taiwan, where the company operates its historic facilities, notably the original plant in the Taipei area and the second plant established in Shin-Fung, in Hsinchu County, in 1973. In 1997, the group added a plant in mainland China, Nankang International Co., in the Zhangjiagang free-trade zone, Jiangsu province, with a high daily capacity. In Canada, Nankang does not own a plant; the brand is distributed there by several pan-Canadian online retailers and wholesalers, including players established in Quebec, which makes its tires accessible to consumers in the province.
Reputation
Nankang enjoys a reputation as a brand offering strong value for the money, often seen as an affordable alternative to the big names in the tire industry. It has stood out in particular among motorsport enthusiasts thanks to its affordable track tires, including the AR-1, which have been praised in several competition-rubber comparison tests. In Quebec, Nankang's relevance varies by product line: its AW-6 all-season model, which carries the 3PMSF symbol, targets drivers looking for a versatile option, while its touring and SUV tires meet everyday needs. For mandatory winter driving (December 1 to March 15), however, you should verify the presence of the mountain-snowflake pictogram depending on the model chosen.
Models and families
Related Nankang models
These families are presented for reference. Actual availability depends on the catalogue and sizes.